Richard White in his book: The Organic Machine: The Remaking of the Columbia River offers analysis to figure out the proper relationship which exists between the natural world and the traditional human culture. White offers valuable information on man relationships with nature. He portrays the environment as unloved, lacking in philosophy and bring an illustrative approach to the analytical. Thus, tithe aim of the essay is to provide a systematic critique of the authors’ theses, themes, sources, style, and methodology. He explores nature after its transformation by humans. White views the environment as a product of human action in the present time and future occurrences.
In the writing of Organic Machine: The Remaking of the Columbia River, White reflects by offering insights which focus on the unities and differences exposed by the river. White holds on to the belief that the river works just as humans do. He suggests that the working of the river can be well illustrated by observing the whites and the Indians relationships with the river where they both give the river their labor. White argues that despite the differences in circumstances, the two groups have a link to nature and the rivers. The point is illustrated by the statement that “for much of human history, work, and energy, have linked humans and rivers as well as human and nature.” (White, 1996). White further illustrates the unity and differences through real examples where the Indians reacted to the provision of the river by banning women from coming into the river controlled by the belief that menstruation affected salmons and contact would lead to their disappearance. White, on the other hand, believed that the Chinese needed to be banned from the river and hence created factories for the Chinese immigrants to work which would hinder their access to the river.
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The description of the activities conducted through human efforts to transform nature as explained by White in his book are not destructive to nature but beneficial. The conclusion is contrary to the outcomes experienced from the transformation witnessed in the future. According to white’s description of the Emersonian and Mumfordian objectives, they led to the production of different outcomes than those predicted which can be viewed as rape or capitalist exploitation. White regarded the construction of the Columbia River dams as built to emphasize "mimicking and not conquering nature” (White, 1996). a view which is disapproved by the following results. The goal of the dams was to free farmers and workers from poverty. However, in the end, the dams acted as a means of concentrating and preserving wealth contrary to the initial objective of redistribution of resources and wealth.
White assessment that "We might want to look for the natural in the dam and the unnatural in the salmon." He evaluates the effect of human activity in the river. He ascertains that though the river remains the same, the salmon becomes unnatural. His analysis is prompted by the introduction of artificial breeding in the Columbia River which is done emotionally to sustain the culture. The revelation from white assessments is the inevitable nature of human intervention on nature and the resultant consequences. White confirms that “To call for a return to nature is posturing," (White, 1996). revealing the necessity of change. However, whites fail to inform us of his intentions, meanings, and lessons. He fails to offer directions on the steps and reactions that humans should such as adapting to the fact that they are no longer salmons on Columbia River. His take on the changes and human interventions on the river are not clear as he does not inform us on whether he claims that whether the dams despite their good intentions should not have been built or whether he supports the consequences and result of their constructions.
References
White, R. (1996). The organic machine: The remaking of the Columbia River. Macmillan . Hill and Wang, New York .
